Rapid Fire
H5N1 Bird Flu and Demoiselle Cranes
- 23 Jan 2025
- 2 min read
Migratory Demoiselle cranes in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, face threats from the spreading H5N1 bird flu, compounded by unusually high rainfall creating toxic water bodies and pesticide spraying on chickpea fields.
- H5N1: Avian Influenza A (H5N1) or H5N1 Bird Flu is a highly pathogenic virus primarily affecting birds but can also infect mammals.
- It originated in China in 1996 and rapidly evolved into a more dangerous strain.
- Since 2020, it has spread globally across continents. India first encountered an H5N1 outbreak in 2015, affecting Maharashtra and Gujarat.
- Spread to Humans: Close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments is the primary route of human infection of avian influenza A viruses. Person-to-person transmission is rare but possible.
- Demoiselle Cranes: The Demoiselle crane (known as the koonj or kurjan in India), native to Russia's Siberian region, migrates to India during winters to escape extreme cold, particularly to Rajasthan.
- Conservation: International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Status (Least Concern) and Khichan (in Rajasthan) hosts India's first Demoiselle crane reserve, hosts 20,000–30,000 cranes each winter.
Read more: H5N1 Bird Flu
